San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-11-07
THREE Elton boys.
BY W. E. NORRIS.

TO, however Internal il might be, was sub
stantially correct, / really thought for a
moment he was going to hit me between
the eyes. But he renowned that inten.
ton, IL he had ever entertained il, and
only dropped into a chair, with a look OF
pain and reproach on his face which hurt
Inc almost as much as If had deserved it.
"And you knew that Bracknell was
humbugging me all this timer he ex-
claimed.
had not said so, but the fact was I'M
deniable. / fancy that, upon the first
blush of the thing, he was more grieved
by Bracknell's treachery than by Hilda's
Inconsistency, and / could not get him to
pay much attention to the excuse which |
made both for the culprit and for myself;
though / venture to think that these were
neither intrinsically poor nor badly put.
But when, in the plentitude of my gener-
osity, | began to make excuses for Hilda
too, he stopped me at once
THAT'S enough, Harry" he inter-
rupted. You mean well, but you don't
seem to see that apologizing on Hilda's
behalf is implying that she is to blame
l can't admit that for an instant. She
never gave me anything in the shape Of a
promise; and If chose to imagine that
she cared for me, the more fool l."
'Well, perhaps So" l agreed. "Any-
how, it's very evident that she did not
care for you"
"Yes," he replied, signing; chats evi.
dent, l suppose. And yet l can't help
thinking that she might have cared for
me If Bracknell hadn't come down. But
there's no good in talking about that now
i shall be off somewhere for the next few
months, think. You couldn't be per-
suaded to come with me to Switzerland,
and perhaps spend the winter in Italy,
could your
of independent fortune, and that my win
ter would have to be spent in the less
agreeable atmosphere of Lincoln's inn,
where had already taken chambers; but
/ strongly advised him to go away and
travel He had SO many friends that he
was not likely to be left long without a
companion. / fear that he did not find
me very sympathetic; and in truth it was
all / could do to restrain myself from
openly congratulating him upon his es-
cape
Presently he said that IL my mot her
was well enough to receive him, he would
just go and say good morning to her, and
her room. From that quarter those who
were afflicted in mind, body or estate
could always count upon obtaining SYM
pathy, IL not comfort; and sure enough,
when Jim emerged, after an interview of
half an hour, he looked so much less in
clined to hang himself that was afraid
my mother had committed the imprudence
Of advising him to try again. But that,
W q Orn nj
"Oh, no, he said, quietly, in answer to
my inquiry, "she didn't give me any hope.
She was awfully kind though, and / be-
lieve it's quite true that / shall get over
this some day. Only l wish Bracknell
had been little more straight about IT,"
Well, upon the whole, that seemed to
be very proper spirit in which to meet
adversely, and / accompanied my friend
down stairs, hoping that, after all, he
might not be quite as hard hit as | had
supposed. But when we reached the front
door, whom should we find talking affably
to the groom and caressing Jim's horse
but Miss Hilda Turner in personl
Jim started violently while |, for my
part, inwardly commended her to the
DEVIL for / could not doubt her purpose
in waiting outside in that unseemly way.
"Why did you not come in?' asked,
with touch of asperity. "Ipresume you
called to see my mother, didn't your
'In short" I interrupted, not over re-
spectfully-for really the Rev. Simeon's
aspect at that moment was not calculated
70 induce respect-'you want me to do
your dirty work for you. Very well; I
don't particularly mind; l may as well be
hanged for sheep as for lamb. Only L
don't propose to prevent Lord Staines
from going down TO the rectory later in
the day and shocking you with profane
language. 1t may not be altogether your
fault that your daughter has disgraced
herself and inveigled Bracknell into dis
grazing himself with her, but you may as
well be prepared to be told that it is. If
were in your place l should be good
deal more frightened of Jim Leigh than of
Lord Staines"
Gently, my dear young friend,
gentlyI' returned Mr.. Turner with dig
nifty. "You are excited, and l do not
blame you for it; but to say that my
daughter has disgraced herself is to say
too much-a great deal too much. That
she did very wrong in engaging herself to
James l allow, and he will not find me
slow to express my sincere sorrow and
sympathy; but we must bear in mind that
her affections were given in the first place
to Lord Bracknell. will not say that
the young people were justified in taking
the law into their own hands; yet may
doubt whether Lord Staines' motives for
forbidding them to marry were of the
highest kind. Now do not answer me, /
beg of you. / can see that you are not
yet master of yourself. If you will allow
me l will go up stairs and sit with your
dear mother while you walk over to
Staines Court"
Evidently Hilda had been talking to
him, and it would be absurd to waste
good indignation upon such hopeless in
eptitude.
"Pray do so, Mr. Turner" answered;
''my mother will be very glad to see you
Only hope you will kindly refrain from
eXpOunding your views with regard to
your daughters marriage t. her, because
she is rather subject t. attacks of
nausea"
With this valedictory sho: | set out to
perform the first and least ainful of the
duties which l had accepted. | found
Lord Staines in his study, and apparently
in a rather bad humor.
''Oh, how do you do, MaynardYn said
he, looking up from the letter which he
was writing. 'Do you happen to know
anything about that fellow Bracknell2
When was his age it used to be consid-
cred the civil thing just to let your father
know when you proposed to leave his
house or return to it, but nowadays the
young men seem to think that they
needn't take any notice of their fathers,
except when they want money Here is
Bracknell gone off, nobody knows where,
at the very moment when l am making